


Dance of the Hours

by Wolf_of_Lilacs



Series: Aro Fics [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aromantic, Asexuality, Gen, Prompt Fill, Tom In Harry's Time, unadulterated fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 10:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolf_of_Lilacs/pseuds/Wolf_of_Lilacs
Summary: Harry and Tom are trapped in a room together. They endeavor to figure out why, and end up as friends in the process.





	Dance of the Hours

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Earth_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earth_Phoenix/gifts).



> For an awesome prompt on the Tomarry Discord. I hope I've done it justice.
> 
> Gryffindors and Slytherins mostly get along here, because they have the best parties.

Hour 1

 

“How did we get in here? I want out.” Riddle paced in ever more furious circles around the classroom-sized chamber. It was making Harry dizzy just watching him.

 

“Would you sit down?” Harry asked cautiously, leaning back against the room’s rough stone wall. It was surprisingly comfortable. “I don’t understand what you’re so worried about.” It was quiet and comforting here. Harry felt like now was a great time for a nap.

 

“Potter,” Riddle hissed. “There is no door. There are no windows. Essentially, there is nothing to suggest that entrance was ever possible.”

 

“So? It’s not like Hogwarts is trying to kill us.”

 

Riddle went for his wand, but his hand came up empty. “Are you sure about that?” His voice squeaked, and he cleared his throat, daring Harry to acknowledge his fear with a poisonous glare.

 

Harry didn’t take the bait and felt for his wand. Huh, it was missing, too. “Yeah. I think Hermione mentioned something about rooms like these once. Supposedly built for enforced diplomatic exchanges between hostile parties, with wands returned upon exiting.”

 

Riddle came to a halt, anxiety giving way to indignation. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

 

“Oh, er, it was in the 32nd edition of _Hogwarts, A History_.” Hermione had gushed about it for weeks after its release and made an itemized list of corrections and updates that she’d given to Harry and Ron as Christmas presents (in addition to things they asked for, naturally).

 

“is that so?” Riddle said waspishly. “The library only has up to the 30th.” He began his pacing once more. Harry squeezed his eyes shut.

 

Hour 2

 

Riddle finally tired of pacing and collapsed against the wall a good distance from Harry. Harry roused himself from his doze and stretched. “I don’t understand how you can be so at ease,” Riddle snapped.

 

“oh, I’m just used to being in confined spaces,” Harry replied. “My bedroom was a cupboard until my Hogwarts letter came.”

 

Riddle blinked. “I see.”

 

“Yeah. Definitely not an ideal way to grow up, but I think I’m pretty well-adjusted.”

 

“Right.” Riddle’s jaw worked. “I was raised in indifference rather than hostility.”

 

Harry didn’t believe him for a second.

 

Hour 3

 

“There aren’t even spiders in here,” Harry noted, peering into a dusty corner. “I don’t mind spiders. They’d give this place a really homey feel.” He grinned to himself. “Except that Ron hates spiders. Well, is deathly afraid of them, actually.”

 

“Were spiders your only friends?” Riddle asked lethargically.

 

“Yep,” Harry replied brightly. “How about you?”

 

“Snakes,” Riddle said, resigned. He’d sunk lower and lower against the wall, his dark hair uncharacteristically mussed. Harry thought he looked almost cute, in a sleeping porcupine sort of way. “I can talk to them. They would find me.” Riddle sighed fondly. “Not very engaging conversationalists, however.”

 

Hour 3.5

 

“… That was a brilliant match, you know? Thrilling. Feinting is the best.”

 

“Potter, Quidditch is such a waste of magic! Enlivening and Flying Enchantments like those should be used for _more_.”

 

“Merlin, become an Unspeakable then. Isn’t that what they do?”

 

“I have bigger plans,” Riddle said flatly. “Plans that will not result in obscurity.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Suit yourself.”

 

Hour 4

 

“Someone locked us in here intentionally,” Riddle hissed.

 

“Er, yeah,” Harry said. “I kind of figured it was a prank. Did you only just now guess that?”

 

“Of course not,” Riddle said, peeved. “I merely deemed you unworthy of my confidence.”

 

Harry massaged his forehead. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

 

Riddle went on with disconcerting relish. “When I get out of here, I will find everyone involved and show them the extent of my displeasure.”

 

Harry chuckled, earning another glare. “I don’t think you’ll have to look very hard.”

 

Hour 4.5

 

“Of course, they were cruel to me,” Riddle said expansively. “I could do magic without a wand, and I made them fear me. Muggles are ignorant and foul and unworthy of the earth on which they walk.”

 

“Tom,” Harry said—to catch his attention—and began pacing himself.

 

Riddle started. “Yes?”

 

“Didn’t I run across you reading Byron—or whoever it was—in that staircase behind the tapestry?”

 

Riddle sighed. “Unfortunately. What’s your point?”

 

“Isn’t there other Muggle literature you enjoy?”

 

Riddle huffed. “Of course there is. Wizards have no imagination.”

 

“Hey, so Muggles are worth something after all.”

 

“Hmm.” Riddle remained dubious.

 

Hour 5

 

“How long can they get away with keeping us here, do you think?” Harry asked.

 

“If they’re from my House, then they have unimpeachable alibis,” Riddle replied darkly.

 

“Why?” Harry groaned. “I don’t understand why anyone would do this to us.”

 

“Neither do I, Harry. Neither do I.”

 

Hour 6

 

A door appeared with the faintest of pops. “Finally,” Harry exulted.

 

Tom grimaced. “What will be waiting for us out there? Perhaps we should wait a while.”

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

 

“I haven’t time for such inanities,” Tom said seriously.

 

Harry ignored him and strode purposefully to the door. “Best to just get this over with,” he said and wrenched it open.

There was an explosion of raucous cheers and applause. Harry made to close the door again, but Tom grabbed his wrist. “You idiot. Do you want to be trapped in here again?”

 

Harry pulled away. “Fuck no.”

 

“Come on out, you two,” Millicent Bulstrode called, forcing her way to the front of the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins. “You can’t stay in there forever, you know.”

 

Harry and Tom blinked at each other. “Why would we want to?” Harry asked.

 

“We took bets on how long it would take you to notice the door had reappeared,” Ron said. “I won. So pay up, Malfoy.” Malfoy gave him the finger instead.

 

“Party on the seventh floor, right now,” Seamus said. “We have fire whiskey. _Lots_ of fire whiskey.”

 

“Why?” Tom muttered.

 

“Don’t know,” Harry commiserated. “But I’m not passing up fire whiskey. Come on.” They followed the excitable crowd.

 

The Room of Requirement was decorated with huge, congratulatory banners: some with hearts and some with blown-up renderings of Harry and Tom, wound up in each other and kissing. Harry and Tom both shuddered in disgust at the sight.

 

“Oh,” Harry said, quietly enduring numerous high-fives. “Oh my god. They all wanted us to—”

 

Tom, at his shoulder, nodded vigorously. “I am utterly… baffled,” he said loud enough for only Harry to hear.

 

“Think we’re meant to be,” Harry said, resigned.

 

“To Tom and Harry, and many happy months together,” Parkinson said from across the room, and everyone clinked glasses. Harry and Tom drank deeply.


End file.
